August 09, 2012

QB Competition Heats Up In Coral Gables

The race for the University of Miami’s starting quarterback position was still on-going Thursday as the Hurricanes concluded day seven of #CanesCamp.

Prior to practice, one of the first questions asked of head coach Al Golden was the arms race between junior Stephen Morris and redshirt sophomore Ryan Williams. The earliest Golden would name a starting QB would be Monday, a day after Miami’s first scrimmage. However, his focus is on preparing Morris and Williams for Sunday’s scrimmage.

“We’re just preparing them right now (for Sunday),” Golden said. “Once we get into tonight and tomorrow, we’ll start getting them ready for the actual scrimmage, but we are still in our installation stage.

“Morris and Williams will both get reps with the (first team) on Sunday,” Golden said. “We’ll sit back as a staff Sunday night and Monday morning and evaluate it.”

Miami’s defensive line tightened up this morning, allowing only limited gains on the ground until RB Duke Johnson found a nice lane and ran for a 40-yard touchdown.

Both Morris and Williams took snaps with the first-team offense Thursday, and the chemistry between the signal-callers and their wide receivers showed.

After not seeing anything downfield, Williams showed off his decision-making and athleticism, taking off for a 20-yard scramble. He later tossed a 40-yard pass to freshman WR Herb Waters, who then pushed down a defender near the goal line for a score.

Morris also made impressive throws of his own. The junior QB connected with sophomore WR Rashawn Scott, who made a beautiful over-the-shoulder, tap-tapping catch along the sideline for a 25-yard gain.

#CanesCamp continues Friday with the Hurricanes’ second two-a-day practice of the fall. The morning session is scheduled for 8:20 a.m. at the Greentree Practice Fields, with the afternoon practice set for 2:50 p.m.

Saturday will be the Canes Correspondents Luncheon (Media Day) and will be held 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at Knight Gym.

To purchase tickets for the 2012 football season, visit HurricaneSports.com. For football updates, follow our official Twitter feed at @HurricaneSports.

> Golden said Gunter, who is the starting BOUNDARY CORNER, has made a big turnaround at camp.

"Ladarius started off really poorly, I mean really poorly. So much so that by day three, he was third team," Golden said. "But he did not give up, he just kept studying, kept preparing, had a great attitude. I think anybody around the program would say the last three practices he's been really, really good. So hopefully he'll continue; he'll develop some consistency."

Gunter said he's dropped a handful on interceptions throughout camp and is mad at himself over it. Gunter said along with Finnie, freshmen Antonio Crawford and Nate Dortch are working at boundary corner. He said Howard, McGee and freshmen Larry Hope and Vernon Davis are working at FIELD.

Shouldn't Howard be Boundary and Gunter be field? Howard is more physical and less fast i think he would be suited up on the near side of the field so he can use his technique and instinct to use the boundary to his advantage, where as the taller and faster Gunter can cover more ground as the field corner.

Shouldn't Howard be Boundary and Gunter be field? Howard is more physical and less fast i think he would be suited up on the near side of the field so he can use his technique and instinct to use the boundary to his advantage, where as the taller and faster Gunter can cover more ground as the field corner.

Posted by: Hassan | August 09, 2012 at 07:56 PM

Hassan, Gunter is waaaaay bigger, and more physical, than TH.

Typically, you want your most physical-ie your best tackler-on the boundary side, because it's assumed that most teams run to the short side.

Conversely, on the field side, you want your best cover CB, because it's assumed that most teams pass to the wide side of the field.

Gunter is basically like having an extra LB/SS out there if they're playing Cover-2 for example. While on TH's side, they may go to a 1/4 coverage, so the SS can shield TH from coming up in run support too much.

I knew Gunter was a big CB but i have only seen highlites of his, TH I have seen him play and he is not a burner and he seems to know how to use that sideline as an extra defender and is very physical, he also has put on weight and strength so i figured he might be good there. What I can say is having this much raw talent in the secondary is a good problem and in another year or so we will have the right depth and ability to contend on D with anyone.

Rodgers can do it from a ht/wt/speed standpoint but from a FB standpoint he has to show me. Until he shows me then I would put something else back there. Our backline will be sick after another year.

Question who in the Canes Family would you consider kicked out of the family?

Hurtt could be in that group, I might wait for the facts to come out. Randy Shannon is a true Cane, being a bad coach does not get you kicked out. Although he was stealing checks for 4 years. Sapp is an idiot but still a Cane for me.

That's a difficult question, Hassan. It's hard to think of anyone of the top of my head who should be kicked out of the Canes Family. Agreed on Shannon, although it baffles me that our team could be so undersized when it came to strength and conditioning. I wonder if he expected his players to mostly have the same discipline that he did, and if they didn't...too bad for them?

As much as I would like to see the next generation of Canes out there, I think I would find more satisfaction if players like Telemaque and SH finally live up to the potential. Although it would only be 1 or 2 good years out of them, it would let me know that Golden and staff are the right group to turn this program around.

Hassan, I sorry to hear about your lost. I pray that the Lord will fill the void left by your father; that he will grant you and your family with peace. I will continue to lift you and your family up in prayer.

hearing people lose family members to cancers and other illnesses, gets me mad. Why havent we found a cure? forget about NASA take all the money that they are given and dedicate scientist to finding a cure for cancer!!!

just got in,
Hassan I'm sincerely sorry for your loss. I've lost several family members including mom and dad. I know you're empty, dwell on those moments you and your dad shared together and know what gifts they are.